reboot! - raichert media · reboot! "medusa bug" (9405) act i fade in: int. dot's...

Here's a partial sample—and my personal favorite—of a TV animation production script (family action comedy) that I did for ABC under the innovative creative direction of Ian Pearson, Gavin Blair, and Phil Mitchell of The Hub / Mainframe. I think what I am most proud of about my work on ReBoot! was my part in getting the energy to flow between the characters: making their personalities and friendships feel real. Warning: this sample only goes to the Act 1 cliffhanger!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! — Lane Raichert

! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

REBOOT!"Medusa Bug"

(21-MINUTE SCRIPT)

(9405)

Written by:Lane Raichert

10/6/93*REV 10/8/93

© 1993 LIMELIGHT PRODUCTIONS

REBOOT! : MEDUSA BUG — © Limelight/Mainframe — RaichertMedia.com 1.

© 1993 Limelight Productions — "Medusa Bug" Blue Pages 10/8/93

REBOOT!"Medusa Bug"

(9405)

ACT I

FADE IN:

INT. DOT'S DINER - AT FRONT DOOR

CECIL and a SPARSE CROWD of PATRONS watch in the BG with interest as ENZO pulls DOT I.S. toward the front door. Enzo waves cheerfully to the onlookers. Dot looks apprehensive.

ENZOBye, everyone! Don't wait for us!

Dot suddenly turns back into the diner.

DOTOop. Just one more call, Enzo.

Enzo stops Dot by pulling on her with both hands.

ENZODot! You need a break, and Bob's in a wait state outside. COME ON!!

They walk towards the door, almost making it outside -- but Dot turns back inside again.

DOTNo really. I'm worried about the Mitchell account inputs. It'll just take a nanosecond.

Dot STEPS O.S.



ENZO! (calling o.s.)Dot?! You promised. ! (a BEAT OF SILENCE, then:)Remember that speech you gave me about keeping your promises? Dot? Hello?

Dot suddenly strides back I.S., taking Enzo's hand.

DOT! (reluctant, but can't argue)I'm coming.

! CUT TO:

EXT. DOT'S DINER - AT DOORWAY - CONTINUOUS

As the two emerge I.S., Dot STOPS in her tracks -- speechless with shock at the o.s. sight. Enzo smiles.

ENZOPretty cool, huh?

REVERSE ANGLE reveals BOB sitting in his VINTAGE CONVERTIBLE AIR CAR -- which, uncharacteristically, is RUNNING, idling smoothly. As the car hovers a couple "feet" off the ground Bob smiles like a proud parent. A Mainframe-style PICNIC BASKET sits in the back seat.

DOT AND ENZO - AT DINER DOORWAY

Dot is stunned.

DOT! (stunned disbelief)I don't believe it. Bob? Is your car actually -- running?

BOB - IN CAR

Bob smiles cockily.

BOBYep.



Suddenly, the car begins to JERK and SPUTTER. Bob frowns -- gives the dashboard a good WHACK -- and the car returns to its smooth idling -- Bob smiles again.

ENZO - AT DOORWAY

He stares o.s. with a smile.

ENZOIsn't it awesome?

CAMERA PULLS OUT to reveal Dot is GONE. Enzo scowls.

ENZO! (to himself)(sighs) Oh, not again --! (shouts, heading back inside)-- Dot!!

! CUT TO:

INT. DINER - ANGLE ON THE FRONT DOOR - CONTINUOUS

The scowling Bob joins Enzo in the diner's doorway looking o.s. Bob crosses his arms and leans against the door jam.

*DOT (OS)-- and the net codes? Formatted AND docked?

BOB AND ENZO'S POV - DOT - AT COUNTER

As Dot taps away at data VID-WINDOWS while talking to a SECRETARY BINOME (as seen in "The Tiff").

*SECRETARY BINOMEOf course, Ms. Matrix.

*DOTPlease, call me Dot.

*SECRETARY BINOMEYes, Ms. Matrix.



BOB AND ENZO - AT DOORWAY

They turn to look at each other.

BOB(SIGHS) Whaddya think, Enzo?

Enzo nods firmly.

*ENZOYeah, let's.

The two stomp o.s. with determination.

! CUT TO:

EXT. DINER - WIDE ON FRONT - CONTINUOUS

We HEAR COMMOTION -- then Bob and Enzo literally CARRY Dot out of the diner.

*DOTWait! (LAUGHS) Just one more call! That's all -- You two put me down!

ON AIR CAR'S BACK SEAT

Bob and Enzo ENTER SC and DUMP Dot into the back seat of the still-running car. Her legs stick up in the air.

DOTOoomph!

AIR CAR

Bob and Enzo QUICKLY jump into the front seat and ZIP OFF into the distance --

ENZOWhoo-HOOOO!!

DOTHeeeey!!



! *DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. HEXADECIMAL'S LAIR - LONG ON SCENE - MEANWHILE

A trio of high ranking VIRAL BINOME LIEUTENANTS stand in anxious waiting at the base of Hex's GILDED GATE BRIDGE.

CLOSER - AT BASE OF BRIDGE

They fidget nervously. They pace and glance up the bridge's twisted corridor toward the island of LOST ANGLES. HACK and SLASH stand obediently nearby.

ANGLE UP BRIDGE

Just then, MEGABYTE hovers into view. He rides his CHAIR nonchalantly down the bridge TOWARD CAMERA. A free hand covers something small in his lap.

AT BASE OF BRIDGE

The lieutenants are visibly relieved. They snap to attention as Megabyte floats I.S.

*VIRAL BINOME LIEUTENANTSir! What's our status?

TIGHT - MEGABYTE

MEGABYTEAfter all the time, all the effort --! (he smiles)-- all the lies. We finally have it.

He turns over his hand revealing a small, simple ORGANIC-LOOKING BOX.

MEGABYTEGentlemen? Meet the MEDUSA.



WIDER - TO INCLUDE LIEUTENANTS

The lieutenants stare at the box in AWE. Hack and Slash, crane their necks in the BG trying to get a view.

LIEUTENANT(GASPS in awe)

OTHER LIEUTENANT! (in awe, under his breath)Finally. Hexadecimal's ultimate weapon.

TIGHTER - ON ALL FOUR

Megabyte gloats calmly as the others inspect the box.

MEGABYTEShe thought she could hide its secret from me. She thought she could develop a weapon this powerful without my knowledge. (SIGHS with disappointment) Poor fool.

BOOM!! Everyone -- except Megabyte -- looks o.s. as there is an ground shaking EXPLOSION --

ANGLE ACROSS LOST ANGLES

as HEXADECIMAL bursts out of the ground, shooting into the air. Chunks of debris drop I.S. all around, THUDDING LOUDLY to the ground. She wears an ENRAGED MASK.

HEXADECIMALMEGABYTE!!

MEGABYTE

is calm, unfazed. He doesn't even look toward the noise.

MEGABYTE! (matter of fact)Oh. That would be her now.



ANGLE UP BRIDGE - TRACKING BACKWARDS WITH HEXADECIMAL

who hovers off the ground in a vertical standing position -- moving down the length of the twisted bridge. NULLS follow her like wake, poring out of the crevices and cracks of the bridge, slithering down toward Megabyte as a river of slugs.

HEXADECIMALYou lie! You lie! I was a fool to trust you!

CLOSE ON MEGABYTE

Megabyte looks at his claws.

MEGABYTEHow true...

ANGLE UP BRIDGE - HEXADECIMAL

swipes on an THOUGHTFUL MASK and suddenly stops.

HEXADECIMAL! (pondering, thoughtful)It was, however, very clever the way you tricked me out of one of my toys.

She swipes on a CONFUSED MASK.

HEXADECIMAL! (confused, puzzled)But what ever could you do with it? Just a little trinket -- you might as well give it back.

FULL ON MEGABYTE - INCLUDE HEXADECIMAL IN BG

Bored, Megabyte turns and begins to leave.

*MEGABYTE! (condescending)Really, Hexadecimal, I don't have time for this.



FULL ON HEXADECIMAL - INCLUDE SLITHERING NULLS AROUND HER

Hex puts on a PITIFUL MASK.

HEXADECIMALOhh, how very, very sad. (sniffs) I'll have to destroy you all, then.

She motions to her nulls meekly with her great claws -- WHOOSH -- The nulls INSTANTLY SURGE forward down the bridge.

AT BASE OF BRIDGE

The lieutenants TAKE at the O.S. NOISE of the onrushing horde -- but Megabyte just motions toward Hack and Slash.

MEGABYTEWell, get to work, you two. I don't keep you around for your brains now, do I?

Hack and Slash roll up to the base of the bridge.

HACKNo --

SLASH-- sir.

NEW ANGLE

Hack and Slash position themselves at either end of the bridge and use their great strength to TEAR UP the bridge's pilings. CAMERA SHAKES.

WIDE - BRIDGE

The bridge's end section only -- the part that connects the island to the rest of Mainframe mainland -- BREAKS OFF and falls into the sea below.



BROKEN BRIDGE EDGE

Some of the charging nulls fall off the edge -- most, however, stop and CHOMP and SLOBBER hungrily.

NULLS(disgusting slobbers and chomps)

DRAMATIC UP ANGLE - HEXADECIMAL

Hex slides on a MAD MASK, screaming.

HEXADECIMALTHEN I SHALL SMITE YOU MYSELF, DOG!! (begins to LAUGH WILDLY)

LAUGHING wildly, CAMERA QUICKLY TRACKS BACKWARDS WITH Hex as she FLOATS down the bridge, STATIC and "wind" swirling behind her speedy path.

FULL ON SCENE - BASE OF BRIDGE

Megabyte takes off in his chair, gliding o.s.

MEGABYTEGentlemen, show the lady some of our own toys, won't you? I'll see you back at the Tor.

FAVOR ONE LIEUTENANT - INCLUDE OTHERS

The lieutenants tap the COMM-LINK on their headgear -- only one speaks:

LIEUTENANTInitiate.

LONG ON RIDGE BEHIND LIEUTENANTS

A LEGION of ABC'S rise dramatically into view over the ridge behind them.



LOW DRAMATIC ANGLE - ON ABC LINE

The hovering armored vehicles open fire with a blinding BARRAGE of LASER FIRE.

HEXADECIMAL

An invisible spherical FORCE-FIELD protects Hexadecimal from the onslaught (a la 'Akira') -- but she is pushed back by the force nonetheless. Presently she wears a SURPRISED MASK.

CLOSER - HEXADECIMAL

She slides on an ANGRY MASK and points a closed fist --

WIDE ON ABC'S

-- and ABC's begin to be tossed aside with a GREAT CRASHING.

DRAMATIC TRACKING - LOW ON MEGABYTE - INCLUDE HACK AND SLASH

As the receding battle RAGES behind him, Megabyte -- followed by Hack and Slash -- races away from the island, GAINING O.S.

! DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. SILICON TOR - ESTABLISHING - LATER

A LOW CAMERA SLOWLY PUSHES IN on the towering structure. There is a LOW RUMBLE of POWER.

! CUT TO:

INT. SILICON TOR - MEGABYTE'S LAB - CONTINUOUS

Megabyte -- now STANDING freely -- speaks to one of the lieutenants on a VID-WINDOW. Battered and SPARKING ABC's lie in heaps behind the dazed lieutenant.



LIEUTENANT! (dazed, surprised)...then, out of nowhere, she said something about being bored, and just -- disappeared. ! (snaps to and salutes)Perimeter secured, sir.

Megabyte closes the vid-window --

MEGABYTEVery well.

FULL ON MEGABYTE

-- then turns his attention to the Medusa in his hands. He turns it around admiringly. The attending VIRAL BINOMES, and Hack and Slash, who stand at guard around the room can't help but stare at the Medusa box.

MEGABYTEMy dear Hexadecimal, I am so disappointed in you.

Megabyte steps up to Hack and Slash.

MEGABYTE! (false innocence)It was her fault, you know. Her increased security and strict privacy lead me to my victory.

CLOSE - MEGABYTE

MEGABYTEShe was so careful. So secretive.! (smiles arrogantly, evilly)I knew she was up to something.

ON MEGABYTE - FAVOR VID-WINDOW

He holds the box near a vid-window that scans the box showing STATS and x-ray like images. Text blocks scroll, line-graphs run as Megabyte taps at buttons on the window.



MEGABYTEAnd yet, despite the length and scope of our operation, we still do not know the true nature of the Medusa's power.

ON MEGABYTE

Holding the box before him, he smiles with teeth.

MEGABYTEUntil now.

GUARDS

SLOW PAN as the room's minions watch in anticipation --

MEGABYTE

-- as Megabyte opens the box gingerly. He looks inside with an eager glint -- then TAKES in surprise as a MARBLED STONE-TEXTURE spreads out of the box and down his arm!

MEGABYTENO!

Megabyte drops the box to the floor.

CLOSE - ON FLOOR

The stone-like texture mapping begins spreading across the floor, with a DISTINCTIVE CRACKLING, turning everything it touches into "stone."

TIGHT ON MEGABYTE

Megabyte grabs his arm in horror.

MEGABYTENo! This is no weapon! It is a viral BUG!



ON VIRAL BINOMES

The minions in the room try to escape, but are quickly PETRIFIED into stone-like statues.

VIRAL BINOMES(general panic)

HACK AND SLASH

look down as the stone-texturing spreads up their bodies.

HACKOh --

SLASH-- oh.

Once infected, the two Hack and Slash 'statues' topple over with a THUD.

MEGABYTE

taps away furiously at a vid-window with his uninfected hand, pulling up complicated technical text and graphics.

MEGABYTE! (rushing, panicked)Computer: Identify virus. Full scan. List possible cures and counteracting agents.

*Megabyte eagerly leans closer to listen. He REFLECTION is seen clearly on the vid-window.

CALM VID-WINDOW VOICEFile type: unknown. Counter agents: unknown. Cure options: unknown.

*-- the vid-window goes STATIC -- and the statistical graphs and Megabyte's reflection are replaced by Hexadecimal's FACE wearing a BLANK STARE MASK! Megabyte recoils at the sight.



*HEXADECIMAL! (monotone, mocking computer)Getting your sorry self out of trouble: unknown.

TIGHT ON VID-WINDOW

WHOOSH. Hex suddenly wears a GIDDY MASK, giggling like a little girl.

*HEXADECIMALI see you found my little surprise! Hee, hee. Isn't it sweet?

WIDER TO INCLUDE MEGABYTE

Hexadecimal, on the vid-window, puts her hand to her mouth, trying not to laugh.

MEGABYTEYou! All this time! All your secrecy! All your security. My whole operation.

HEXADECIMAL(holds back laughter) Yes, yes??

MEGABYTEA trap!

*She changes to an ARROGANT MASK and takes on the air of a condascending, snotty aristocrat talking down to a servant.

*HEXADECIMAL! (taken aback, annoyed)Now I suppose now you'll want thanks for all your hard work.

Megabyte swipes at the vid-window, SHATTERING it to pieces.

MEGABYTERRrrgghh!!



ANGLE ON BALCONY OPENING

Megabyte, half stone-textured, drags himself I.S. to an open balcony. CAMERA PUSHES IN as he struggles to climb out -- but as his clawed hand reaches up to grasp the sill, it turns to stone. ! CUT TO:

EXT. SILICON TOR - CONTINUOUS

END SHOT of Megabyte's petrified claw on the balcony sill. The stone-texturing spreads down the side of Silicon Tor with a distinctive CRACKLING SOUND as the CAMERA PULLS OUT and the MUSIC STINGS.

! CUT TO:

INT. HEXADECIMAL'S LAIR

*On an organic-styled vid-window, the Medusa Bug can be seen spreading down the Tor and out onto the surrounding land. Hex watches with a DOUBTFUL MASK.

*HEXADECIMAL! (genuinely worried, moral ! dilemma)Um, I hope this was the right thing to do. Infect the whole world with an unstoppable bug? Um, I'm not sure.

She suddenly swipes her hand over her face, now wearing a LAUGHING MASK.

HEXADECIMAL(gleeful, hearty laughter)

Her gleeful LAUGHTER ECHOES through her lair as we --! CUT TO:



EXT. EDGE OF MAINFRAME - MEANWHILE

Bob's car hovers on a road in the middle of nowhere. The engine is NOT RUNNING. The bored looking Enzo sits in front staring off into the distance, doing his YO-YO. Dot sits in back, also looking around. HOLD A LONG BEAT on this VERY QUIET SCENE -- then Dot smiles.

DOTNice picnic, guys.

DOWN SHOT

The scowling Bob suddenly slides out from under the car, holding a Mainframe-style WRENCH.

BOBI'm working here, okay, I'm working!

*DOTYou want some help?

*Bob GLARES at Dot, then slides back under. Dot shrugs --

DOT - IN CAR

*-- then smiles and looks out across the vast open fields of greenery -- actually quite SCENIC. She takes a deep, peaceful breath.

DOT(DEEP BREATH, then:) Don't get me wrong, I gotta admit, it IS kind of nice to get away from it all.

DOWN SHOT

Bob slides out from under the car again -- this time smiling.

BOBYou're welcome.

He slides back under.



DOT

DOT(chuckles) Thank you.

NEW ANGLE - FAVOR ENZO - INCLUDE OTHERS

Enzo, staring off into the distance, suddenly sits up straight, noticing something o.s. He stops working his yo-yo.

ENZOFrisket?

Enzo puts his yo-yo halves back onto his belt as Bob slides out I.S. from under the car to join Dot in staring off into the distance.

THEIR POV - LONG ON SCENE

The very distant FRISKET gallops TOWARDS CAMERA. Chasing behind him is the speeding Medusa Bug, making its CRACKLING way across the ground.

ENZO (VO)Check it out. Something weird is chasing Frisket.

CLOSER ANGLE ON FRISKET - TRACKING

Frisket can easily outpace the spreading stone-texture --

NEW ANGLE - FRISKET

-- but another strand of the bug has spread around in front of him, trapping him in a pocket.

ANGLE ON OUTCROPPING

Frisket leaps gracefully to the top of an OUTCROPPING. He circles angrily atop the outcropping, GROWLING menacingly at the spreading texture below him.

FRISKET(ANGRY GROWLING)



ON GROUP - AT CAR - FAVOR ENZO

Enzo leans forward, growing more worried.

ENZO! (getting concerned)Frisket?

The three all TAKE WITH CONCERN at the o.s.:

FRISKET (OS-DISTANT)(HOWLING YELP -- suddenly CUT OFF)

The wide-eyed Enzo suddenly lunges forward to climb out of the car -- but Dot grabs him.

ENZO! (freaking out)FRISKET!!

BACK ON FRISKET

The stone-textured dog SLIDES STIFFLY off the outcropping -- and THUDS to the ground like a slab of statuary.

ANGLE ON ENZO AND DOT

Enzo goes crazy, climbing part way out of the car, but Dot wrestles with him, holding him back.

ENZOFrisket! Let me go! DOT! We gotta help him!

Dot turns Enzo to face her.

DOTEnzo! Enzo! WAIT! We don't know what that thing is, yet. ! (turns to look at o.s. Bob)Bob?

The two turn to look at Bob as we PAN OVER to him. With a grim expression, he holds up Glitch -- now in the form of a STATSCANNER. A small RED LIGHT BLINKS repeatedly.



BOB'Unknown file type?' ! (turns to the others)This is bad. Very bad.

WIDE ANGLE - DOWN SHOT

The Medusa Bug spreads towards the car.

GROUP - AT CAR

Dot motions o.s. Enzo jumps fearfully back into the car.

DOT! (nervously)Uh, Bob? I think we're next.

CLOSE - BOB AND GLITCH

Bob holds up Glitch-statscanner.

BOB! (renewed urgency)Uh, I think you're right.! (to Glitch)Glitch? Ignition.

SNAP-CLICK-CLICK-ZZZZ: Glitch turns into a thick TRACKBALL-JOYSTICK with a short key-shaped STEM.

FULL ON SCENE

Bob tosses Glitch to Enzo, then ducks quickly back under the car and resumes his CLUNKING REPAIRS in haste.

BOBQuick! Try her again!

ANGLE INSIDE CAR

Enzo sticks Glitch in the car's KEYHOLE and turns the engine -- RRRrrRRR -- nothing.



MEDIUM ANGLE ON GROUND

The Medusa spreads quickly THRU SC.

ANGLE ON BOB'S FEET

sticking out from underneath the car.

BOB (OS-MUFFLED)Again!

ON ENZO

He turns the Glitch-key: RRRRrrrRRRR -- still nothing.

ANGLE ON GROUND - TRACKING WITH THE MEDUSA

PUSH IN DRAMATICALLY as the bug speeds along the ground. MUSIC BUILDS.

DOT

looks up at the o.s. bug, spreading quickly toward them.

DOTUh, boys?

LOW ANGLE ON MEDUSA BUG - TRACKING

The CAMERA TRACKS QUICKLY behind the spreading bug as it races TOWARD our heroes and their stalled air car as we...

! FADE OUT:END ACT I



reboot! - raichert media · reboot! "medusa bug" (9405) act i fade in: int. dot's...

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